Chennai, Jan 10:
Chief Minister MK Stalin has inaugurated the Pongal cash gift and hamper distribution at a fair price shop in Sriram Nagar of Alwarpet on Wednesday.
Stalin also launched the distribution of free dhotis and saris to the beneficiaries.
About 2.19 crore rice ration card holders would be benefitted. The Chief Minister was accompanied by ministers Sekar Babu, Periyakaruppan, Sakkarapani and Ma Subramanian during the event.The distribution that begun today will take place till January 14.
On Tuesday, the government relaxed its conditions by announcing that Rs 1,000 cash gift would be handed to all rice card holders even if they are state, union government or PSU employees, or taxpayers; they were earlier excluded from the beneficiaries. However, sugar card holders and no-commodity card holders are still excluded.
The Pongal gift hamper consists of rice and sugar each weighing a kilo and a sugarcane.
